Container car

ABSTRACT

A center sill-less skeletonized gondola type of railway vehicle having framed reinforced receptacles for positioning and transporting cylindrical containers which are carried with their axis extending vertically of the vehicle. A low deck design is used to provide a low center of gravity and vehicle stability. Pivoted spring biased latching devices engage the top rim of each container to stabilize the containers in the storage well during movement of the vehicle.

United States Patent 1191 Lee [45] June 25, 1974 CONTAINER CAR 3,520,256 7/1970 Gutridge 105/366 1) 3,561,369 2/l97l OLeary... 105/366 D [75] Invent Sang Homewood, 3,604,364 9/1971 Sweger 105/366 0 [73] Assignee; vPullman Incorporated, Chicago {IL 3,667,401 6/1972 Schwiebert et al. 105/366 C [22] Filed: 1972 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman [21] App], N 303,431 Attorney, Agent, or FirmHilmond O. Vogel 52 user 105/366 R, 105/360, 105/366 c, [57] ABS'FRACT 105/414 A center slll-less skeletomzed gondola type of ra1lway [51] Int. Cl B65j l/22 vehicle having framed reinforced weep-tacks for P 5 Fie|d f Search 105/360 366 R, 366 D tioning and transporting cylindrical containers which 105/366 C, 366 S, 3671 414, 422 are carried with their axis extending vertically of the vehicle. A low deck design is used to provide a low 5 R f c Cited center of gravity and vehicle stability. Pivoted spring UNITED STATES PATENTS biased latching devices engage the top rim of each l 699 649 H1929 wn hb 105/360 container to stabilize the containers in the storage well 1 oug y..; 1,872,272 8/1932 Furrer 105/360 during movement of the muck 2,073,982 3/1937 Woodruff l05/366 R 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures CONTAINER CAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to railway vehicles and in particular those adapted to carrying large tank type of containers.

2. Description of the Prior Art Recent efforts by the railroads and shippers to reduce loss of powdered and fine granular type of ore concentrates and other ladings has resulted in the covering of many open top hopper cars and gondola cars. A recent trend has been to transport these ore concentrates in covered cylindrical containers which can be removed from the railway vehicle when it arrives at its destination and does not require the use of elaborate conveyors or pneumatic or other types of lading handling devices. The containers may be removed from the railway car and placed on a truck for further transport or used at side as required.

For the railway vehicle to transport 100 tons of lading in approximately 15,000 pounds of containers it was necessary to design a car having an unusually light 7 weight of 48,000 pounds to remain within the 263,000 pound loaded rail limit for 100 ton cars. Unlike ordinary gondola or hopper type cars where the lading carrying hoppers contribute to the strength of the car, the cylindrical containers add no strength to the vehicle and are merely dead weight. The present invention provides a car capable of carrying 100 tons of lading in removable containers without exceeding the AAR maximum weight limitation for such a vehicle.

SUMMARY This invention pertains to railway vehicles particularly designed to carry cylindrical containers or tanks which are stored in an upright position. Because the containers are intended for easy placement on the railway vehicle and easy removal they add no structural benefits to the car and are considered as dead weight and subtracted from the total amount of lading which can be carried in the vehicle. The present invention has compensated for the additional weight added by the containers by reducing the weight of the transporting railway vehicle and providing a skeletonized container carrying car having no center sill. The present invention contains no floor sheets and is supported by deep beam side sill members that are interconnected by bulkheads which form the wells in which the containers are stored. Vehicle includes a pair of reinforced raised end portions connected by the spaced side sill units in such a manner as to eliminate the need for a center sill.

It is yet another object of the present invention *to provide a reinforced skeletonized container car having a plurality of well portions wherein a container may be stored during transport. The wells also include angled 2 I gusset bottom plates which support the container and also include a plurality of hold down latches spaced around the top periphery of each well and engageable with the top portion of the stored container to rigidly secure the container during transport.

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a twin deck gondola type of car structure wherein the central well portions are positioned vertically below the end container support portions to thereby provide a highly stable low center of gravity in the vehicle.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from reference to the following description, attached drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the container carrying car of the present invention showing only half of one end receptacle andhalf of the center storage receptacle of the lower deck; i

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the car illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken generally along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken generally along lines 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. Sis a cross sectional view taken along lines 5- of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 66 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the cylinder carrying car 10 havingastub center sill 12 fixedly attached at each end and supportedon a pair of supponting truck members 14. Thecar 10 includes a high deck portion 16 positioned adjacent each end and a low deck or central portion 18 which is vertically spaced below the end decks 16. A pair of laterally extending bolsters 20 extend outwardly from the stub center sill l2 and provide vertical support to the car body. Deep beam side sill units 22 extend longitudinally along the outer margins of the car 10. The side sills 22 are interconnected at the central portion of the car by the cross bulkheads 24 and are connected adjacent the high or end deck portions 16 by the end cross bulkheads 24a. The end sills 25 are also deep beam sections which extend between the side sills 22 to enclose the car 10 on all four sides.

The end sills 25 combine with the end bulkheads 24a and the intermediate bulkhead 24 to form five cylinder receiving receptacles 26. These receptacles 26 transport the cylindrical tanks or containers 28 which are shown in phantom in drawings of FIGS. 1 and 2 The bottom support portion of the intermediate receptacles 26 include four diagonally extending and opposed support braces 30 positioned at each corner of the intermediate receptacles 26. These support braces 30are generally Z- shaped and are best shown in FIG. 8 where there isillustrated the associated guide plates 32 which are rigidly attached to the associated support brace 30 and function to guide the container into a seated position resting upon the support braces 30.

End shear plates 34 form the skeletonized floor of the high deck portions 16 and extend from the cross bulkheads 24a to a point just ahead of the bolsters and terminate with the gull wing shaped edge 35. End support plates 36 are positioned atop the stub center sill 12 to provide an even surface in a plane with the shear plate 34 for resting of the container 28 which is positioned in the high deck receptacle 26.

Gusset plates 38 are positioned at the upper four corners of each receptacle 26 and function to strengthen the corner and increase the cars ability to resist shearing loads which are particularly critical at these comer portions. Associated with these gusset plates 38 are a plurality of hold down latches 40 which are illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. Each pivoted hold down latch 40 is mounted between a pair of mounting plates 42 and has a biasing spring 43 engaging a lower portion thereof. The hold down latch 40 extends through an opening in the guide plate 44 and is deflected out of the way as a container 28 is lowered into the receptacle 26, only to return back into a restraining position engaging a retaining ring 45 which is fitted about the top of each illustrated container 28. Should higher containers be used the ring 45 would encircle the middle region of the container.

Now that the composition of the car has been described disclosing the construction and positioning of the containers and their associated receptacles, the structural interrelation of the various car components will be described, pointing out their functions which enable the skeletonized low deck car assembly to carry a heavy weight of lading with a very light weight car construction.

Each end sill 25, as best illustrated in FIG. 3, includes the heavy shear plate or web portion 46 extending vertically and transversely to connect the spaced side sills 22. An inwardly extending angle 47 is fastened atop the draft sill l2 and combines with the end sill top channel member 48 to provide an end sill beam member which rigidifres the end portion of the car. Tie bars 49 are connected to the side of the stub center sill l2 and connect with the end sill shear plate 46 to aid in dumping forces from stub center sill 12 to the end sill shear plate 46.

Each side sill 22 extends the length of the car and includes the shear plates 52 which are positioned at the ends of the car and the associated shear plates 524 which are located along the low deck 18 of the car. A pair of bar stiffeners 53 are fixedly attached as by a weld to the shear plates 52 in the area above the bolsters 20 to rigidify this portion of the side sill which receives high forces transmitted between the car trucks and the supported car body. An inverted channel shaped top rail 54 extends along the length of the side sill at the car end portions and has an associated inverted channel 54a positioned atop the portion of the draft sill which extends along the low deck 18. Like the end sill construction a bottom angle member 55 is spaced from the top channel rail 54 to provide a lower flange for the side sill beam 22. ln the low deck portion of the container car there is an associated corresponding lower angle 550 which combines with the top channel rail' 54a to provide flange portions for the side sill beam member 22. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 7 the bottom angle 55 associated with the high deck end portion of the car has an extension portion 55b extending into the low deck portion of the side sill 22. This extension portion 55b is reinforced by the flat plate stiffener 56 which forms a closed triangular shaped beam for effectively transmitting car end impact and vertical load forces from the bolsters into the web 52a of the side sill beam 22.

Connecting the high deck 16 and the low or depressed deck 18 is a diagonally extending transition connection beam portion 57 comprising a generally deep l-beam construction having a top channel member 58 and a lower angle 59 interconnected by a shear plate web portion 60. Stiffeners 61 are positioned in the end portions of this diagonally extending transition connection portion 57 to reinforce the connection between the high deck 16 and the low deck 18. Additional stiffener bars 62 are spaced along the length of the side sill 22 in the low deck portion of the cylinder carrying car 10.

At the transverse ends of each of the intermediate cross bulkheads 24 (see'FlG. 6) are T-shaped connectors 64, having plate portion a and leg portion 65b which facilitate joining the cross bulkheads 24 with the deep beam side sill 22. These connectors 64 also rigidify the side sill web portions 52a. The T connector 64 includes a top plate portion 65a which provides a convenient surface for welding and attaching the cross bulkhead 24.

Intermediate bulkheads-24 also include top l-beam 65c, lower angle flange 65d and connecting web 65c.

The cross bulkheads 24a located at the extreme ends of the low deck 18 have a top portion tied in with .the channel top rail 54 by the angle extension member 66 which is disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 4. A channel toprail 67 extends transversely between the spaced angle extensions 66 to form the top portion of the end cross bulkheads 24a. A web plate 68 extends downwardly from the transversely extending channel rail 67 and terminates at the bottom angled iron member 69 and is best illustrated in FIG. 5. Positioned intermediate of the channel rail 67 and the lower angle member 69 is transversely extending bulkhead spacer channel portion 70 which abuts a transported container 28 to transfer shock forces to the side sills 22'.

Vertically extending stiffener members 71 reinforce the web plate 68 in the area above the stub center sill 12, see FIG. 5.

Other vertically extending stiffeners which reinforce the intermediate cross bulkheads 24 are the angle members 72 shown typically in FIG. 4.

Thus it is noticed from the foregoing that the container car of the present invention has no through center sill and has deep beam side sills having end or'upper levels and connected to low deck portions by an intermediate transition means 57. Stored containers are supported on their periphery by diagonally extending braces which also impart shear strength to the square receptacles 27. The cross bulkheads 24, 24a separate the containers and combine with the continuous side sills to give the vehicle vertical beam unit strength. The bottom angle extension 55b dumps horizontally buffing forces into the web 520 of the low deck side sill unit 18.

A light weight skeletonized vehicle with a low center of gravity due to the stepped deck features is provided having a high load to empty weight ratio thus permitting transported lading to be carried in rigid containers to permit ease of handling and prevent lading loss. Although the containers add weight to the vehicle without contributing structural support, the lightweight design of the present invention permits 100 tons of lading to be carried on a vehicle without exceeding the A.A.R. weight limitation for 100 ton vehicles having 100 ton trucks.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway car for carrying containers comprising reinforced high .end deck portions at opposite ends of said car;

an intermediate depressed deck portion extending between said end portions,

transition portions connecting said opposite ends of said depressed deck portion with said high end portions,

said high end deck portions including:

end stub center sills with body bolsters extending therefrom,

horizontal shear plates supported on said bolsters,

deep beam end sills comprising vertical shear webs extending transversely and supported on said stub sills,

transverse top and bottom beams connected to said vertical shear webs, and said bottom beam being connected to said vertical transverse shear webs and to said stub sills, high deck side sills including longitudinal transversely spaced top and bottom beam portions,

vertical transversely spaced shear webs connected to said longitudinal top and bottom beam portions of said high deck side sills;

said intermediate depressed deck portion having deep beam side sills including longitudinal top and bottom beam portions,

deep vertical side shear webs connected to said longitudinal top and bottom beam portions of said depressed portion, said transition sections including top and bottom diagonal beams respectively connected to the top and bottom beam portions of said intermediate and end sections,

anddeep shear webs connected to said top and bottom diagonal beams and said shear webs of said intermediate and end portions, end bulkheads spaced longitudinally inwardly from said transverse end shear webs and connected to said longitudinal top and bottom beam portions of said high end sections thereby forming end container receptacles,

intermediate bulkheads extending transversely of said vehicle and connected to said intermediate longitudinal top and bottom beams forming depressed deck container receptacles,

container support members supported on said bottom beams in said container receptacles of said intermediate depressed portion,

said shear webs and top and bottom beams connected thereto having a height corresponding substantially to the depth of containers in said receptacles,

reinforcing members spaced within and connected to said receptacles adjacent the top beams, and

hold down latches supported on said reinforcing means for engaging containers: adjacent their upper ends thereof for securing the same within said receptacles:

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including a longitudinal beam extension connected to each of said longitudinal bottom beam portions of said high deck side sills at the juncture of said diagonal transition beams and said longitudinal beam portions to thereby transmit horizontal forces from said high deck end portions into said depressed deck section.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said longitudinal beam extension projecting between said top and bottom beam portions of said intermediate deck and being connected to said shear webs of said intermediate depressed deck portion. 

1. A railway car for carrying containers comprising reinforced high end deck portions at opposite ends of said car; an intermediate depressed deck portion extending between said end portions, transition portions connecting said opposite ends of said depressed deck portion with said high end portions, said high end deck portions including: end stub center sills with body bolsters extending therefrom, horizontal shear plates supported on said bolsters, deep beam end sills comprising vertical shear webs extending transversely and supported on said stub sills, transverse top and bottom beams connected to said vertical shear webs, and said bottom beam being connected to said vertical transverse shear webs and to said stub sills, High deck side sills including longitudinal transversely spaced top and bottom beam portions, vertical transversely spaced shear webs connected to said longitudinal top and bottom beam portions of said high deck side sills; said intermediate depressed deck portion having deep beam side sills including longitudinal top and bottom beam portions, deep vertical side shear webs connected to said longitudinal top and bottom beam portions of said depressed portion, said transition sections including top and bottom diagonal beams respectively connected to the top and bottom beam portions of said intermediate and end sections, and deep shear webs connected to said top and bottom diagonal beams and said shear webs of said intermediate and end portions, end bulkheads spaced longitudinally inwardly from said transverse end shear webs and connected to said longitudinal top and bottom beam portions of said high end sections thereby forming end container receptacles, intermediate bulkheads extending transversely of said vehicle and connected to said intermediate longitudinal top and bottom beams forming depressed deck container receptacles, container support members supported on said bottom beams in said container receptacles of said intermediate depressed portion, said shear webs and top and bottom beams connected thereto having a height corresponding substantially to the depth of containers in said receptacles, reinforcing members spaced within and connected to said receptacles adjacent the top beams, and hold down latches supported on said reinforcing means for engaging containers adjacent their upper ends thereof for securing the same within said receptacles.
 2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including a longitudinal beam extension connected to each of said longitudinal bottom beam portions of said high deck side sills at the juncture of said diagonal transition beams and said longitudinal beam portions to thereby transmit horizontal forces from said high deck end portions into said depressed deck section.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said longitudinal beam extension projecting between said top and bottom beam portions of said intermediate deck and being connected to said shear webs of said intermediate depressed deck portion. 